A few days ago, at the Purple Palace Hall in the capital.
"Who would have thought that Ye Shijie actually has some skill, winning Song Yu over in such a short time," Emperor Yuanyou remarked with a hint of jealousy. "He even wrote a letter specifically praising Ye Shijie."
That brat had never sincerely praised his own father like this before!
And after all the words he had written to console the ungrateful wretch.
Watching the Emperor's expression shift through a spectrum of emotions, Shen Mingwen and his son Shen Qingping exchanged a knowing glance.
"Your Majesty, since His Highness has changed his opinion of Lord Ye, he must be quite pleased with Ye Shijie's appointment as the prefect of Ji'an Prefecture," Shen Mingwen ventured cautiously. "Once the prince returns to the capital after the prefectural exams, he will surely express his gratitude to Your Majesty."
Whether it would be gratitude or something else...
They would cross that bridge when they came to it.
Emperor Yuanyou snorted coldly. "I’ve kept Wang Shichun waiting this long precisely to deliberate on the chief examiner for the prefectural exams."
"Since he favors Ye Shijie, I’ll grant his wish."
As they left the Purple Palace Hall, Shen Mingwen’s legs were still trembling slightly.
"You’ve got quite the nerve, daring to suggest official appointments directly to the Emperor. Don’t ever do something like this again," Shen Mingwen scolded, though his tone softened when he looked at his youngest son, who had just recovered from a serious illness.
Wrapped tightly in a dark blue cloak, Shen Qingping merely smirked at his father’s words. "Father, this matter was entrusted to me by the princess."
A few days ago, a letter arrived from Yong'an County, in which the princess had written only a few lines—requesting Ye Shijie’s transfer to Ji'an Prefecture.
Shen Mingwen’s expression eased slightly. If it was the princess’s request, then his rebellious son’s actions weren’t entirely out of line.
But the next moment, Shen Qingping spoke again, "However, even if the princess hadn’t mentioned it, I would have done the same."
From the moment Ye Shijie left the capital, he had resolved to ensure Ye Shijie ended up as the prefect of Ji'an Prefecture.
Shen Mingwen immediately bristled with anger.
You insolent brat!
......
Meanwhile, far away in Ji'an Prefecture, Song Yu remained oblivious to all these intricacies, wholly absorbed in studying the practice booklets Ye Shijie had given him.
"Father, have some ginseng soup."
Perhaps out of guilt, Song Shihuan had become noticeably more attentive these past few days, frequently bringing small comforts to Song Yu in person.
"Ah Huan, I really can’t drink any more," Song Yu sighed heavily, setting down the booklet. "After seeing the county exam questions, the prefectural exams..."
The road ahead seemed endless, the light at its end invisible to him.
"Father, at least Lord Ye thinks highly of you. That means your answers align with his preferences," Song Shihuan offered with an awkward chuckle. "If you keep refining your skills, passing the prefectural exams won’t be a problem."
"But if it had been Lord Wang, who knows what would’ve happened?"
Hearing this, Song Yu steeled himself and downed the ginseng soup in one gulp.
He understood the logic.
But... the thought of enduring Ye Shijie’s nightmarish exam questions again made him want to bang his head against a wall.
Could anyone save him?
Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and soon it was March.
Song Yu, in his capacity as the Prince of Qin, met with Ling Ming—the top scholar of Yong'an County’s exams—fulfilling his earlier promise to Ye Shijie.
Staring at the burly man before him, Song Yu struggled to reconcile his appearance with the image of a top scholar.
"Your humble servant Ling Ming pays his respects to Your Highness."
Meeting such an esteemed figure for the first time, Ling Ming’s voice trembled with excitement.
"I’ve heard Lord Ye speak highly of you, and after briefly reviewing your essays, I must agree—you are a rare talent."
From her corner, Song Shihuan stifled a laugh, her shoulders shaking.
"Briefly"?
Her father had copied Ling Ming’s entire county exam paper and studied it religiously, determined to surpass him one day.
Meanwhile, Ling Ming, oblivious to the fact that the prince saw him as a rival, beamed at the praise.
"My crude writings are hardly worth Your Highness’s attention."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Song Yu dismissed him.
"What do you think of him, Father?" Song Shihuan asked.
"He’s honest, diligent, and solid in his studies," Song Yu assessed accurately. "No wonder Ye Shijie took a liking to him."
Realizing the caliber of his competition, Song Yu doubled down on his efforts, studying so fervently that even Song Shihuan was taken aback.
......
Ten days before the prefectural exams began, Song Yu set off for Ji'an Prefecture, while Song Shihuan followed under the pretext of visiting Ye Shijie.
By the time Song Yu settled in Ji'an Prefecture, there were still ten days left before the exams.
He had assumed his early registration would place him among the first batch of candidates, but the bustling streets filled with scholars left him stunned.
Why had everyone arrived so early?
"Are you here to register for the exams? Hurry, or you might miss the deadline," a kind-hearted scholar in gray robes advised.
Song Yu nodded hastily and sprinted toward the registration office.
Only after securing his exam admission slip did he finally catch his breath.
"Did you make it?"
Recognizing the scholar who had warned him earlier, Song Yu clasped his hands in gratitude.
"Yes, thanks to your reminder. May I ask your name?"
"I am Zheng Fang, from Mingshui County."
"And I am Guo Feng, from Yong'an County."
At the mention of Yong'an County, Zheng Fang’s eyes widened. "I heard your county exams were exceptionally difficult."
Song Yu remained silent, nodding emphatically.
"Who knows what approach the prefect will take this time? But since you passed the county exams, Brother Guo, your talent must be remarkable. I wish you success in the prefectural exams as well." Zheng Fang laughed heartily.
"The same to you, Brother Zheng."
Back at his lodgings, Song Yu recounted the day’s events to Song Shihuan, grumbling,
"Ye Shijie’s reputation has clearly spread throughout Ji'an Prefecture. But this is nothing—just wait until after the exams. I bet some will curse outside the examination hall."
"Zheng Fang..." Song Shihuan frowned, the name ringing a faint bell.
Suddenly, she clapped her hands. "Father! Zheng Fang is the top scholar from Mingshui County! You’ve read his essays!"
"Another top scholar?" Song Yu muttered.
Ling Ming was a top scholar. Zheng Fang was a top scholar. Even that little rascal Song Yanzheng was a top scholar.
Shen Mingwen had once told him that as long as a county’s top scholar didn’t flip their desk during the prefectural exams, the chief examiner would almost always pass them—lest they openly question the judgment of the county magistrate.
At this thought, Song Yu couldn’t help but gaze enviously into the distance.
How nice it must be to be first.
He wanted to be first too.
